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Elders' Paradise Wiki
Welcome to the Elders' Paradise Wiki The real wealth of a nation is thought to be its people by many scholars. One of the primary objectives of national development is to create an enabling environment for people to enjoy long, healthy, and creative lives. Suffice to say that though this may appear to be a simple truth, it is often overlooked as an immediate concern during the accumulation of commodities and financial wealth (Human Development Report, 1990). In Trinidad and Tobago the population of persons, sixty (60) years and over have accounted for approximately 12 percent of the population; equivalent to 156,000 of the general population of 1.3 Million (UN, 2007). This increase is consistent across both islands as the population of older person reported for Tobago is estimated at 5,954 (CSO 2000). It has been projected that by the year 2020 the number of persons 60 years and older will increase to 230,000 or 15 percent of the total population (CSO 2000). Although this statistics is not disaggregated for Tobago the anecdotal evidence suggest that the pattern of ageing in Tobago is not dissimilar from what obtains nationally. {C}Ageing should always be considered a priority issue that demands the attention of government, academia, business, non-profit organizations and the civil society (AARP 2003). Notably the Caribbean population of elderly persons, that is those 60 years and older, is now larger than ever before in the history of the region at the start of the 21st century (Rawlins 2010). {C}It is essential that current deficiencies with respect to number, type, quality, accessibility and sustainability of facilities for the aged be addressed and continually researched and upgraded to maintain the highest of humanitarian standards. PRMG 6002 Ltd possesses the know-how and tools necessary to plan, develop and implement such a venture and the contents herein serve to outline the proposed way forward. Abstract A nursing home operates primarily in a patient-care mode rather than a medical mode. Consequently, its more important attributes are those focusing on the general well-being of its residents rather than high-tech considerations. The principal attributes of a well designed nursing home are: Homelike and Therapeutic Environment Inherent in any institutional stay is the impact of environment on recovery, and the long-term stays typical of nursing home residents greatly increase this impact. The architect and interior designer must have a thorough understanding of the nursing home's mission and its patient profile. It is especially important that the design address aging and its accompanying physical and mental disabilities, including loss of visual acuity. To achieve the appropriate nursing home environment every effort should be made to: *Give spaces a homelike, rather than institutional, size and scale with natural light and views of the outdoors *Create a warm reassuring environment by using a variety of familiar, non-reflective finishes and cheerful, varied colors and textures, keeping in mind that some colors are inappropriate and can disorient or agitate impaired residents *Provide each resident a variety of spatial experiences, including access to a garden and the outdoors in general *Promote traditional residential qualities of privacy, choice, control, and personalization of one's immediate surroundings *Alleviate possible disorientation of residents by providing differences between "residential neighborhoods" of the nursing home, and by use of clocks, calendars, and other "reminders" *Encourage resident autonomy by making their spaces easy to find, identify, and use *Provide higher lighting levels than typical for residential occupancies Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness The nursing home design should: *Promote staff efficiency by minimizing distance of necessary travel between frequently used spaces *Allow easy visual supervision of patients by minimal staff *Make efficient use of space by locating support spaces so they may be shared by adjacent functional areas, and by making prudent use of multi- purpose spaces Cleanliness and Sanitation An odor-free environment is a very high priority in nursing homes, since many residents are occasionally incontinent, and the pervasive odors can give an impression of uncleanliness and poor operation to family and visitors. In addition to operational practices and careful choice of furniture, facility design can help odor control by: *Adequate and highly visible toilet rooms in key locations near spaces where residents congregate *The use of appropriate, durable finishes for each space used by residents *Proper detailing of such features as door frames, casework, and finish transitions to avoid dirt-catching and hard-to-clean crevices and joints *Adequate and appropriately located housekeeping spaces *Effective ventilation, which may need to exceed nominal design levels Attention to Way-finding A consistent and well thought out system of way-finding helps to maintain the resident's' dignity and avoid their disorientation. It should: *Use multiple cues from building elements, colors, texture, pattern, and artwork, as well as signage, to help residents understand where they are, what their destination is, and how to get there and back. *Identify frequently used destination spaces by architectural features and landmarks which can be seen from a distance, as well as symbols, signage, art, and elements such as fish tanks, birdcages, or greenery *Avoid prominent locations and high visibility of doors to spaces which patients should not enter *Use simple lettering and clear contrasts in signage *Clearly identify only those rooms that residents frequent Accessibility Many residents may be ambulatory to varying degrees, but will require the assistance of canes, crutches, walkers, or wheelchairs. To accommodate these residents, all spaces used by them, both inside and out, should: *Be designed so that all spaces, furnishings, and equipment, including storage units and operable windows, are easily usable by residents in wheelchairs *Be equipped with grab bars in all appropriate locations *Be free of tripping hazards *Be located on one floor if possible, preferably at grade. If residents' bedrooms must be located on more than one floor, then dining space must be apportioned among those floors, not centralized Security and Safety Design to address security and safety concerns of nursing homes includes: *Use of non-reflective and non-slip floors to avoid falls *Control of access to hazardous spaces *Control of exits to avoid residents leaving and becoming lost or injured *Provision of secure spaces to safeguard facility supplies and personal property of residents and staff Aesthetics Aesthetics is closely related to creating a therapeutic homelike environment. It is also a major factor in a nursing home's public image and is thus an important marketing tool for both residents' families and staff. Aesthetic considerations include: *Increased use of natural light, natural materials, and textures *Use of artwork *Attention to proportions, color, scale, and detail *Bright, open, generously scaled public and congregate spaces *Homelike and intimate scale in resident rooms and offices *Appropriate residential exterior appearance, not hospital-like *Exterior compatibility with surroundings Sustainability Nursing Home facilities are public buildings that may have a significant impact on the environment and economy of the surrounding community. As facilities built for "caring", it is appropriate that this caring approach extend to the larger world as well, and that they be built and operated "sustainably". Justification Background and analysis of the problem to be addressed ''' '''There are many elderly patients that need to have people look after them. Many family members may not want to put their senior citizen into a home due to lack of trust for the homes, however they aren’t able to be at home with them all day. Leaving an elderly person alone at home is not the best practice due to the fact that as persons get older performing day to day task tend to increase in its’ level of difficulty. Sometimes these seniors can get involved in some difficult situation that can cause them their life. The “Homes for the Age” that exist on the island (Tobago) now are presently run from a house or what use to be a house. These homes tend to function on spaces that are quite limited along with a limit in staff and qualified staff. The elders are basically there “waiting to die”. These homes tend not to have any records of elders improving in health or physical activities. When these homes are visited the elders seem to be very inactive and somewhat “dull”, the most it seems that they do is eat, sleep, watch TV and wait for visitors to come and look for them. Some of these elders even desire to be back in their own homes. These homes don’t offer services such as nurses dens, physiotherapy sections, leisure and communal parks and all that is now common worldwide for homes for the aged. There is a growing number of nationals achieving ages over 60 in Tobago but there has not been a matching growth in facilities tailored to suite their needs. ''' '''Huge knowledge bases are stored within the elderly community but they are not harnessed and surely not treated with the requisite care and respect that should be shown. Also special care, appropriate facilities and time are required to give older folks the support they need. Tobago definitely needs structures to be put in place to bridge this gap. The Ageing Unit have made it our duty to look and analyze the needs of the elderly and their families and as such we are proposing to start the first “Modern Home for the Age” on the island of Tobago. This will be in the form of a hotel, hospital and home in one. Residents will be able to participate in any of the different forms of activities that we will be providing and also they will be given regular medical checks. Our aim is to provide quality service and comfort for each elder resident and as such to also improve them holistically as much as possible. Elders’ Paradise should be the crave of each person as they grow older. It is promised to be a home away from home. We intend to have each resident as happy and as healthy as can be. ' '''Proposed goal, objectives, target population and implementation plan ' '''A home for the elderly that provides post-retirement citizens with a respectful, independent, fun-filled environment amongst like-minded contemporaries with the requisite infrastructure, caregivers and expertise is a dire need in Tobago. This project is therefore geared at providing semi-independent to independent living for approximately one hundred (100) senior citizens. It will have different units designed for the specific need of the residents, but will have a number of communal spaces to encourage interaction among residents. For the resident who needs minimal or no care; three (3) meals a day will be provided and a serviced room (cleaning and laundry) with shared bathroom facilities. For the resident in need of some physical care; three (3) meals will be provided a day and a serviced room with shared bathroom facilities. These residents will also have a care assistant to attend to their immediate needs. For residents with increased physical care they will have an assistant on a daily basis. Residents suffering with Alzheimer and in need of specialized care on a 24hr basis will be accommodated differently. Some of the independent elders can have his or her own single flat however they must be able to walk to the main building if anything is needed. It is envisioned that the residents will participate in whatever activity they are able to be a part of and for which we offer. Some of these activities will include computer classes, gardening, hiking, swimming, exercising (aerobics etc.), field trips, cruises and sports. We will have different professional sessions with Physiotherapists and Social workers. In addition we will have persons coming in at least once a month to “pamper” the residents such as spa treatment (pedicure/ manicure/ massages), hair combs and grooming, etc. ''' '''We propose to partner with the YMCA to also have water therapy and water aerobics. There will also be indoor and outdoor areas for exercises. A church will also be on the compound to facilitate persons who may not be able to leave the compound. The yard should be covered with local fruit trees where possible so that the residents can be given food and fruits from their own garden and the excess can also be used to help generate funds for the home. We intend to have qualified doctors there along with nurses and caregivers. The doctors and nurses will perform regular checks on each resident and monitor their health. We anticipate that the residents’ health should increase in whatever way possible due to the quality care, exercise, eating lifestyle and also through the one on one interaction with the care givers. These caregivers will also assist the seniors with any business which they will have to conduct if they don’t have the assistance of their family. The home will be run as a private institution where the seniors will pay a portion of their monthly pension to accommodate/ facilitate the different activities and running of the home. ''' '''Abstract Table 1: Age Profile of the Tobago Population, 1990-2000 'Sources: Calculated from Population and Housing census Reports, 1960-1990 & 2000 Population and Housing Census: Demographic Report The figures in Table 1 show that the total number of persons 60 years and over in Tobago increased steadily between 1960 and 2000 from 3,024 persons in 1960 to 5,954 in 2000. The proportion of Tobago residents aged 60 years and over increased from 9.6 percent in 1990 to 11 percent in 2000. Table 2: Age Profile 60 years and over of the Tobago Population, 2000 Source: 2000 Population and Housing Census: Demographic Report According to Table 2, most of the persons 60 years and over are within the 60-64 age-group (29 percent). This was followed by the 65-69 age group which accounted for 24 percent followed by the 70-74 age group which accounted for 19 percent. Only 15 percent and 13 percent of the population 60 years and over are 80 years and over and within the 75-79 age group respectively. 'Table 3: Proportion of Persons 60 years and over by Municipal Electoral District 'Source: Elections and Boundaries Commission of T&T, 2012 According to the Elections and Boundaries Commission database, the total number of persons in Tobago sixty years and over is 8,184. Table 3 revealed that the majority of persons 60 years and over are in the Black Rock/Whim/Spring Garden and Buccoo/Mount Pleasant districts (10 percent). All of the other districts accounted for less than 10 percent. 'Project Risk Management' 'Risk Sources' #'Funding not available' #'Location of site not centralized or may have terrain challenges.' ' #'Suitable Land Space Not Available #'Political Interference' #'Difficulties Finding Trained Staff Mitigation 1 edit.jpg Mitigation edit.jpg ' #'Prevalence of Home Ownership Amongst the Elderly' #'Attachment of older persons to where they live' #'No serious Legislature or mandate for the housing of the Elderly' #'Trouble Acquiring full designs for site and buildings layout' #'Employee unionized strikes.' Budget Initial estimates to have a complete facility operational is roughly 15 million. Furthermore it is expected to have a yearly operating cost of 2.7 million. The income generated is expected to come from the state as well as charging a fee to the residents. With a proposed fee of TT$1,500 .00 per month to stay at Elder’s Paradise it is expected to generate a yearly figure of 900 000. this would leave a shortfall of TT$1.8 million which we propose to be covered by the state . We also hope to find addtional funding through international lending agencies. Latest activity Category:Browse